‘I have felt happiness’. A detailed look at co-teacher development for plurilingual and inclusive teaching and learning

This article investigates teacher training in plurilingual and multicultural education through the lens of a non-formal language program, AFEX, in Barcelona. AFEX teaches local languages to migrant-origin families using a co-teaching model, pairing preservice teachers with community language facilitators. Using micro-longitudinal Conversation Analysis (Greer, T. [2016. “Learner Initiative in Action: Post-expansion Sequences in a Novice ESL Survey Interview Task.” Linguistics and Education 35:78–87.]; Ishino, M. [2018. “Micro-longitudinal Conversation Analysis in Examining co-teachers’ Reflection-in-action.” System 78:130–147.]), the study examines their interactional strategies, focusing on how they negotiate instructional roles, scaffold learning, and develop plurilingual, pluricultural teaching competencies. Findings emphasize the role of embodied instruction and mutual learning in fostering Linguistically Responsive Teaching (LRT; Lucas, T., and A. M. Villegas. [2010. “A Framework for Preparing Linguistically Responsive Teachers.” In Teacher Preparation for Linguistically Diverse Classrooms: A Resource for Teacher Educators, edited by T. Lucas, 55–72. Routledge.]). The study highlights how collaborative approaches enhance instructional effectiveness and inclusivity, advocating for co-teaching models in teacher education to better address linguistic and cultural diversity in classrooms, highlighting the benefits of co-teaching with language facilitators.